AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. (SMU) – On Monday, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced that the SMU volleyball team earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2021-22 academic year.

The Mustangs were one of a multitude of teams across scholastic and collegiate leagues to be named for the award in its 30^th season, which honors volleyball programs that maintain a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale. The Mustangs closed the academic year with a 3.329 team GPA, including four players (Jadyn Bauss, Lily Heim, Kaitlyn Knobbe, BreyAnn Sands) earning a final GPA of 3.5 or higher.

SMU is one of eight members of the American Athletic Conference to receive the honor for the 2021-22 academic year. The award marks the eighth time in ten years that the Mustangs have earned the distinction.

Eleven members of the 2021 roster were further named to the AAC All-Academic team on July 7 for superior academic performance. To be eligible for the honor, a nominee must have competed in an AAC-sponsored sport, attained a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for the preceding academic year, and completed a minimum of two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters of academic work, with a total of 18 semester or 27 quarter credits, not including remedial courses.

The Mustangs open head coach Sam Erger's inaugural season on the Hilltop on Aug. 26 against UC Irvine at Moody Coliseum in the SMU Doubletree Invitational.

Mustang Student-Athletes Earn AAC All-Academic Team Recognition